As I write this my baby is having a hard teething afternoon as her top tooth is coming in. It is really frustrating because she is crying all the time unless in my arms or in a carrier.
To back track a little bit, August has had many sleepless nights because she is teething. We now have 1 tooth in and 2 more that just popped through. Teething is hard work for the whole family. I remember people telling my partner and I that it would get much easier once our baby turned 3-4 months. It was true- she generally slept pretty well and I felt I was coping so well.
But then teething started. Teething has not been a few bad days when they are coming through but a slow and steady process. At six months old, she began to more actively teethe. It’s hard. Serious sleep deprivation returned and it’s really hard to watch your baby be in such pain.
There are things you can do to help your baby through teething. This is what has worked for us:
1. Homeopathy! Yes, it might be surprising to most of you that I am telling you how great Homeopathy is for teething. LOL! The Homeopathic remedy Chamomilla works wonders when Chaya is screaming a lot, I can’t put her down without crying and she wants to be carried all of the time. It is also indicated if your baby has one red cheek and spinach-green stools.
2. Frozen wet cloths for the baby to suck on..
3. Cold watermelon rinds. Obviously only use these if your baby has started solids. My Homeopath recommended them and they are amazing. Also keep an eye on your baby while the suck on these for extra safety.
4. Wear Your Baby: If your baby is irritable and weepy and needs some extra love including to be held more often, try putting them in your favourite baby carrier. They can smell you and feel comforted from being so close to you. The side benefit is that it frees up your hands which allows you to get things done.
5. Take More Naps: If teething disturbs your baby’s sleep, it will cause you to feel as tired as when they were an itty-bitty newborn. Let the chores go and take naps with them as often as possible.
6. Pain Relief: We started using Baby Tempura for the last two teeth that came in at once. All of these other measures helped, but I felt she needed extra pain relief. And it has helped. If you are worried about giving your baby an over-the-counter medication, we give her a half-dose only when it is needed.
7. Stay away from Orajel: You can buy these products at your local drug store. They numb the baby’s gums with benzocaine. There is a danger that your baby will swallow some and it will numb their throat. It is also associated with a rare auto-immune blood disorder. The side effects are so serious that the FDA recently issued a warning.
2. Frozen wet cloths for the baby to suck on..
3. Cold watermelon rinds. Obviously only use these if your baby has started solids. My Homeopath recommended them and they are amazing. Also keep an eye on your baby while the suck on these for extra safety.
4. Wear Your Baby: If your baby is irritable and weepy and needs some extra love including to be held more often, try putting them in your favourite baby carrier. They can smell you and feel comforted from being so close to you. The side benefit is that it frees up your hands which allows you to get things done.
5. Take More Naps: If teething disturbs your baby’s sleep, it will cause you to feel as tired as when they were an itty-bitty newborn. Let the chores go and take naps with them as often as possible.
6. Pain Relief: We started using Baby Tempura for the last two teeth that came in at once. All of these other measures helped, but I felt she needed extra pain relief. And it has helped. If you are worried about giving your baby an over-the-counter medication, we give her a half-dose only when it is needed.
7. Stay away from Orajel: You can buy these products at your local drug store. They numb the baby’s gums with benzocaine. There is a danger that your baby will swallow some and it will numb their throat. It is also associated with a rare auto-immune blood disorder. The side effects are so serious that the FDA recently issued a warning.
And don’t forget that Homeopathy can help with teething by reducing pain and irritability, by improving moods, by helping associated changes like diarrhea, green stools and fevers; and it can even help in cases when your baby begins teething very late. And most importantly, it is the gentlest and safest type of natural medicine for your baby.
